Actually... there is not. By installing the game you are signing a EULA, or End User License Agreement. This EULA has an Anti-Class Action clause. However, as a signatory of that EULA you are more than able to arbitrate on THEIR terms, against THEIR lawyers, at a place and time of THEIR choosing on YOUR DIME.

Awesome how people really don't give a crap anymore and just take this BS without any problems...

I'm sorry... but what the article was talking about, with the redditor stating:

I figured from everything I'd read that the always-on part of the game simply required an internet connection, not a slot on a server like I'm about to PvP or something. I'd be more understanding if I could just play my private region by myself like I intended.

is NOTHING NEW.
This was discussed long ago when first rumors of a persistent internet connection requirement were mentioned.

I don't mean to invalidate that this is an issue, it is a major problem, but definitely shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone that's followed the previews of SimCity.
So, whoever touted how awesome this was going to be, welcome to reality. This is precisely where all the people that are OK with this type of scheme, are allowing the industry to take OUR PROPERTY... our licenses. OUR ability to dictate when and where we can play OUR purchased property.
Sorry... but I saw this coming from miles away and is no surprise.
I for one, will not be supporting EA/Maxis in this endeavor... stupid move that'll kill a great franchise.

Except when you have a case of a 20 y/o that runs through an elementary school/kindergarten and shoots up 26 human beings, and was later found to have a disease that makes it impossible for him to sense pain... no emotional trauma there at all, right?

When will people make up their minds...? Do we want people to be checked or not? Someone with a vendetta couldn't have possibly told the 12 y/o to handle possible explosives, right?

Quit proselytizing. and get a write a real article. No wonder TD is a useless news service full of a**ho... I mean opinions.

Considering that the techdirt article actually listed no sources and was rather opinionated I'm thinking Merkel is pretty much dead on, if one refers to print media being more articulate and actual journalism.

The Techdirt article author mentions that print and digital media are identical. This is usually far from the truth as reputable publications such as Reuters, NBC or Times sometimes have drastically different digital articles than their print media and a lot of times the quality of work is drastically lower, i.e. grammatical and spelling errors, than the print media.

Considering the fact that FOBs should really be de facto standard nowadays AND that Blizzard should provide them instead of charging customers, I don't consider this lawsuit so frivolous.

#1 Fobs would be the one way to make sure people actually BUY their game.
#2 Fobs are a great way to authenticate. Businesses have done it with certain software for a long time now.

Because not ALL people own a smartphone that has internet connectivity or rather even own a smartphone, means THOSE people are inconvenienced by "purchasing" their protection. THAT is against the law. This means another product has to be purchased to use something a provider has already agreed full access to upon purchase. Just because they add a clause that says "we can change the rules at any time" doesn't mean it's right. Sure it's 6.50 or whatever... what's next? Your next $80 special edition doesn't come with all items promised and you have to dish out another $20 to get the rest?

Think about it people... it's entertainment publishers and developers taking consumers for a ride once again, seeing how far they can push the envelope... when is enough, enough?

Finally someone that has some reading comprehension. All those others about "why didn't you get up and leave..." Seriously? Do you people know how to read and comprehend what you've just read...? The fact that there was nothing usable for the final presentation by Crime, inc. whatever (don't watch any news media anymore... pointless) is proof enough of Mike's balls and sticking to the truth.

That may be true... but they may get on with their lives without a job, without documentation to back up legal issues, it could be the end of a corporation to have an entire network fail, i.e. network intrusion and a data breach/wipe.

That's about the most ignorant comment ever... the added stress and financial burden a massive failure puts on an organization is not just a simple "meh... we'll deal."

I believe that the Walt Disney company wanted to make that statement less about copyright infringement, more so about the fact that:

1. So it doesn't get inundated by requests for the REAL Disney company to put on the same show that was put on in Korea.
2. So Disney is not recognized as supporting a Dictatorship that has its populace rotting in poverty and hunger.

You forget your boss at your job pays your salary. You break your boss' rules, you lose your job right? It's not up to you to decide what rule is right and wrong. Would be hella convenient wouldn't it... I'll just decide to stop paying taxes. I'm supposed to pay... but hell. I'll just stop doing that. I'll just start driving 120mph on the highway... no problem right? No one gets hurt by it? They Autobahn in Germany has unrestricted speed limits for the most parts (barring near cities). Dumb rule... I just won't follow it.

Show me the precedent in regards to flying please. I concede that according to the US Judicial system that for ungodly reason they assume that it is a right to be able to drive. But, when you don't follow the rules, you have that right revoked. So, we're back to square one, break the rules on a plane, i.e. you have your privilege of flying revoked.

You know, as an IT guy I don't agree with the rules either. They don't make sense, the IRS, DHS and TSA doesn't make sense. But, you know what... I follow the rules anyways. Do you know why? Because it is out of respect to others who follow the rules.

Personally, the flight attendants have to deal with enough dirtbags and senses of entitlement all day, that I really don't care to make their day any worse.

For those talking about the whole business aspect, that I don't know how it works. Cool... stop flying then. Drive. Don't take a ship to other countries either, because you probably won't follow the in-cruise emergency muster briefing's anyways. So, drive/swim your happy ass to wherever you want to go. Other people will continue to fly/cruise, and will continue to observe these "obsolete" rules.

Just because you fly 50+ times a year doesn't give you any seniority privilege of being able to ignore rules. Become a pilot and fly your own plane if you want that. You're no better than anyone else on the plane that just wants a peaceful flight experience and a flight attendant that's in a good mood. Because if the attendant has to deal with someone that's not willing to follow the rules, guess what... s/he's not going to be in a good mood.

Pretty much shows how well you adjusted to authority eh? When a ruling doesn't fit into your guideline of what is right vs wrong its fine to ignore right?

Might as well start pirating software right? It's against the law, but you're not hurting anyone, right? But you see how it's affecting the music/software/game industry. They're locking things down even further.

Quit trying to be smarter than the system and follow the damn rules. Once you're in a position of authority to make the judgement call to remove the rules, then be my guest. Or for that matter, start a petition to the FAA about relaxing the rules and do a smart write-up as you sound like you're smart guy.

But, as far as your respect towards the flight rules concerned, I hope the Air Marshall stun guns your butt the next time you don't follow the rules and you get thrown out of the plane for not following them. Maybe with the new laws in effect they might just throw you into a Detention Camp without a warrant or phone call to your lawyer.

It's douchebags like this that should be castrated. Such a sense of entitlement. If people behave like this they should be booted from flying for several years and see how much they pay attention then.

The reason you don't care is because you are ignorant of the effects your "little device" can have. That's all. Personally I hope your plane crashes some day and you're the one arse-hat that actually gets hurt. Then, I hope they trace the incident to your "little device" and you get sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

BRA-FRIGGIN-VO! Finally someone hit the nail on the head! If someone tells you to DO something, especially when it is only a PRIVILEGE, you do it. It's not a RIGHT to fly a plane. It is a luxury and privilege just like driving. Such a sense of entitlement nowadays...

Not only is it because of the distraction, cellular signals can also cause speakers on headsets to cause interference. Ever been on a regular land-line and have your cell go looking for a tower/signal? That's what pilots can hear if everyone's got their phone on in the plane. They could miss crucial routing information on the tarmack, which could actually cost you your life.

So, because 9 out of 10 folks have no idea how to put a phone into "Airplane mode" or a need to have email on their phone, they blanket statement it and have everyone turn their devices off.

When I see jerks that continue listening to their iPod or play games on their phone during take-off and landing it makes me want to smash their skulls into the ground for being such douchebags. Really? You can't wait the 10 - 20 minutes and disconnect for a second and pay attention?? Not only are you being disrespectful to the crew, but you're being a douche to everyone else around you that IS obeying the LAW.

I'd also like to add that the only reason publishers and developers are crying is because of their own folly. They create games of poor quality, essentially create reprints of old material because they have poor creativity, and have extremely poor consumer relations.

Game publishers also take less risks now, just like the movie industry has been for a while. Why develop something new when you can ride the Call of Duty 4000 train or the Silent Hunter IVXX Elite Chromium Edition (which has it's support dropped day BEFORE release).

Creativity has gone in the dump and it is no wonder that Indy games are making a huge comeback. I get more pleasure out of playing something new and creative than a game engine that's been reused 4 billion times and just retreaded with new textures.

This is precisely why I've stopped buying Ubisoft titles after they released the USP DRM or whatever it is called. I will not give that company a CENT. I bought their games religiously, but no longer. After Silent Hunter 5 was released in its broken state, with ZERO support in sight, AND was one of the first games to have that DRM... bah.

Ubishaft can go chapter 11 for all I care. They don't care about their consumers, so I don't care for them.